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Dawn - 13:59 Jul 02, 2025
The Foreign Office (FO) said on Wednesday that Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif will attend the 17th summit of the Economic Cooperation Organisation (ECO) in Baku, Azerbaijan from July 3-4. In a statement today, the FO said the prime minister will “share Pakistan’s perspective on key regional and global challenges, reaffirm Pakistan’s commitment to the ECO Vision 2025, and advocate for enhanced intra-regional trade, transport connectivity, energy cooperation, and sustainable development”. He will also hold bilateral meetings with other ECO leaders on the sidelines of the summit to discuss matters of mutual interest, the statement added. The theme of the summit is ‘New ECO Vision for a Sustainable and Climate Resilient Future’. The 16th ECO summit was held from November 9, 2023, in Tashkent, Uzbekistan and attended by then-caretaker prime minister Anwarul Haq Kakar. According to a statement by ECO, the summit will convene ECO heads of states/governments, ministers, observers, special guests from non-ECO countries... -
Dawn - 13:35 Jul 02, 2025
Former foreign minister Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari on Wednesday again extended an olive branch to India, asking the neighbouring country forge a partnership to pursue peace and jointly combat terrorism. “Pakistan is ready to forge a historic, phenomenal partnership with India to jointly combat terror,” he said while addressing an international conference on ‘Pakistan Fighting War for the World against Terrorism’ at the Islamabad Policy Research Institute. “Not as adversaries playing a zero sum game but as neighbours who share a moral and civilisational obligation to save a billion souls from the plague of extremism. “All it requires is from India’s leadership is to step down from the high horse heading in the abyss and pursue peace with Pakistan.” Bilawal also called on the Indian leadership to resolve all outstanding dispute including the Kashmir and the water crisis. “Let us resolve Kashmir in accordance with the aspirations of the people. Let us end the weaponisation of water. And instead, build peace as might... -
Dawn - 13:15 Jul 02, 2025
The National Disaster Management Authority said on Wednesday that flash floods and heavy rain across the country have killed 64 people and injured 117 in a week. The highest toll was in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa with 23 dead, including 10 children, the authority said. Fourteen of the victims were swept away in a flash flood in the Swat Valley last week. Flash floods and homes collapsing in heavy rain killed 21 others in Punjab, including 11 children, the authority said. In Sindh, 15 people were killed, while five people died in Balochistan. Separately, the Pakistan Meteorological Department (PMD) forecast a significant intensification of monsoon activity across the country beginning from the evening of July 5, with widespread rain, thunderstorms and the possibility of flash floods and urban flooding in several regions. According to the Met Office, moist monsoon currents were continuously penetrating the country and would likely strengthen over the weekend. A westerly wave was also expected to approach the upper part... -
Dawn - 12:22 Jul 02, 2025
Iran on Wednesday formally suspended its cooperation with the UN nuclear watchdog, a measure drawn up in the wake of unprecedented Israeli and US strikes on the Islamic republic’s nuclear sites. The war between Iran and Israel, which broke out on June 13 and lasted for 12 days, has intensified tensions between Tehran and the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA). On June 25, a day after a ceasefire took hold, Iranian lawmakers overwhelmingly voted in favour of the bill to suspend cooperation with the agency. State media said today that the legislation had cleared the final hurdle and was in effect. The text, published by Iranian media, states that the legislation aims to “ensure full support for the inherent rights of the Islamic Republic of Iran” under the nuclear non-proliferation treaty, and “especially uranium enrichment”. The issue of enrichment was at the core of disagreements between Washington and Tehran in nuclear negotiations that had been derailed by the war. Israel and some Western countries h... -
Dawn - 11:37 Jul 02, 2025
Bulls continued their reign over the trading floor at the Pakistan Stock Exchange (PSX) on Wednesday as shares scaled the 130,000-point barrier to reach a new high after climbing by 2,100 points. The benchmark KSE-100 index opened on a positive note, rising by 1,430.07 points (1.12 per cent) to reach 129,629.49 points at 10:07am, from the previous close of 128,199.42 points. Shares then rose further to reach 130,344.03 points at close, gaining 2,144.61 points (1.67pc) from yesterday. The PSX extended its record-breaking rally for the fourth consecutive session today, which analysts attributed to easing inflation and signs of macroeconomic stability. Awais Ashraf, director of research at AKD Securities, said the increase in tax rate on income from debt securities, along with a change in the taxation structure for mutual funds to proportionate holdings of equities and fixed income, has resulted in inflows to equities from fixed income. “Significant reduction in inflation rate — fell to a low of nine years — wit... -
Dawn - 10:28 Jul 02, 2025
Bangladesh on Wednesday convicted fugitive ex-prime minister Sheikh Hasina of contempt of court and issued a six-month prison sentence in absentia, the first verdict since she was ousted last year. Hasina, 77, fled to neighbouring India at the culmination of the student-led uprising in August 2024, and has defied orders to return to Dhaka. “She will serve the sentence the day she arrives in Bangladesh or surrenders to the court,” chief prosecutor Mohammad Tajul Islam told reporters after the court decision. The case centred around comments that prosecutors said she had made after she was ousted from power, which they said threatened witnesses in ongoing court hearings. “The prosecution team believes her comment created an aura of fear among those who filed the cases and among the witnesses,” Islam said. Shakil Akanda Bulbul, a fugitive leader of her now-banned Awami League, was sentenced to two months in prison in the same case. Up to 1,400 people were killed between July and August last year, according to th... -
Dawn - 10:26 Jul 02, 2025
US President Donald Trump urged Hamas on Tuesday to accept a 60-day ceasefire in Gaza, saying that Israel had agreed to finalise such a deal, as its forces also stepped up operations in the Palestinian territory. Nearly 21 months of relentless Israeli bombardment have created dire humanitarian conditions for the more than two million people in the Gaza Strip, where Israel has recently expanded its military operations. The civil defence agency said Israeli strikes killed at least 14 people today. Trump, in a post on social media, said his representatives had met with Israeli officials about the raging conflict, ahead of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s visit to Washington next week. “Israel has agreed to the necessary conditions to finalise the 60-day ceasefire, during which time we will work with all parties to end the war,” Trump wrote. He said representatives of Qatar and Egypt, mediators in the conflict, would deliver “this final proposal”. “I hope, for the good of the Middle East, that Hamas takes this... -
Dawn - 09:39 Jul 02, 2025
A total of 125 missing persons cases were submitted to the Commission of Inquiry on Enforced Disappearances in the first half of 2025, it emerged on Wednesday. The commission was set up in 2011 to trace missing persons and fix responsibility on the individuals or organisations responsible for their disappearance. In the month of June alone, a total of 27 missing persons cases were received nationwide, while 33 cases were disposed of. The commission offered a monthly breakdown of the cases received and disposed; 26 cases were received in January and 209 disposed of; 12 new cases in February and 104 disposed of; 30 were recieved in March and 34 disposed of; 11 were reported in April and 42 disposed of; 19 were received in May and 62 disposed of. The total number of cases received up till June 2025 was 10,592, while 1,914 cases of them were disposed of and 6,786 were traced, the commission said. A total of 4,771 missing persons have returned home, according to the report, while 1,017 people are being held in int... -
Dawn - 09:33 Jul 02, 2025
The Dalai Lama said on Wednesday that the 600-year-old Tibetan spiritual institution would continue after his death, reassuring Buddhist followers around the globe and saying his office “exclusively” would name his successor, even as China insisted it would. Followers of the Dalai Lama laud his tireless campaign for greater autonomy for Tibet, a vast high-altitude plateau in China about the size of South Africa. It is a landmark decision for Tibetans, many of whom had feared a future without a leader, as well as for global supporters who see the Dalai Lama as a symbol of non-violence, compassion and the enduring struggle for Tibetan cultural identity under Chinese rule. According to Tibetans, Tenzin Gyatso is the 14th reincarnation of the Dalai Lama. The charismatic Nobel Peace Prize-winning Buddhist had previously said the institution of Dalai Lama would continue only if there was popular demand. He said on Wednesday he had received multiple appeals over the past 14 years from the Tibetan diaspora, Buddhists... -
Dawn - 09:24 Jul 02, 2025
The online retail platform of Chinese tech giant Alibaba announced on Wednesday that it will issue $7 billion in subsidies for certain purchases, providing a much-needed boost for a country struggling with sluggish spending. Taobao, China’s e-commerce champion launched by Alibaba in 2003, said in a WeChat statement that the 50bn yuan ($6.97bn) would “directly subsidise consumers and merchants” over a 12-month period starting Wednesday. The spending incentives on Taobao’s “flash purchase” feature will take the form of “red envelopes” — a digital form of traditional cash gifts — as well as discounts on products, deliveries and commissions, the statement said. Taobao said that the subsidies will “provide consumers with preferential and convenient services and experiences, further stimulating consumption vitality”. Beijing is battling to stave off deflationary pressure, which has threatened to dampen economic growth even as challenges elsewhere mount. A lengthy property sector crisis and a fierce trade war with t... -
Dawn - 09:11 Jul 02, 2025
Pakistan and India are expected to play against each other “likely” on September 7 in the Asia Cup 2025 — set to begin on September 4 or 5 in the UAE, according to a report by The Times of India on Wednesday. The T-20 tournament will mark the 17th edition of the Asia Cup, beginning with a group stage and then a super-four round. The participating teams include India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Afghanistan, and the UAE. According to Asia Cup’s website, recent political tensions between India and Pakistan have made UAE the frontrunner to host the tournament or serve as part of a hybrid hosting model. The multi-nation tournament was initially going to be hosted solely by India. According to the Indian media report, a 17-day window has been almost finalised by the Asian Cricket Council, where India and Pakistan are to clash on September 7. The two teams could also see a second match on September 14, depending on how the teams progress. The report said that all the participating teams are currently in the pr... -
Dawn - 08:47 Jul 02, 2025
The Quad grouping of the United States, India, Japan and Australia called on Tuesday for the perpetrators of a militant attack that killed 26 in India-occupied Kashmir to be brought to justice without delay. The April 22 attack in held Kashmir’s Pahalgam sparked heavy fighting between nuclear-armed India and Pakistan in the latest escalation of a decades-old rivalry as India blamed it on Pakistan, which strongly denied the allegations while calling for a neutral investigation. The US State Department issued a joint statement by the foreign ministers of the grouping, who met in Washington, but stopped short of naming Pakistan or blaming Islamabad. “The Quad unequivocally condemns all acts of terrorism and violent extremism in all its forms and manifestations, including cross-border terrorism,” the ministers said in the statement. They called on all members of the United Nations to cooperate actively with “all relevant authorities” in delivering justice to the “perpetrators, organisers, and financiers of this r... -
Dawn - 07:42 Jul 02, 2025
The University of Pennsylvania has agreed to ban transgender athletes from its women’s sports teams, settling a federal civil rights case stemming from the furore around swimmer Lia Thomas, the US government said on Tuesday. The US Department of Education said in a statement that UPenn had entered into a resolution agreement vowing to comply with Title IX, the federal law which prohibits sex-based discrimination in any educational program. It follows an investigation by the department’s Office for Civil Rights, which found the university had violated Title IX by allowing transgender swimmer Thomas to compete in women’s competitions in 2021-2022. US President Donald Trump, who campaigned on the issue of trans athletes, has worked to prohibit them from competing in girls’ and women’s sports since returning to office. Trump issued an executive order in February aimed at banning transgender athletes, allowing federal agencies to halt funding to any institution that does not consider birth-assigned genders in dete... -
Dawn - 06:59 Jul 02, 2025
LAHORE: Strong reaction on social media seems to have forced the Punjab government to take a ‘U-turn’ on naming the Jinnah Institute of Cardiology, Lahore, after Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz. “The name of the institution remains ‘Jinnah Institute of Cardiology, Lahore’ and no change is under consideration. In the Punjab government’s annual development programme for the fiscal year 2025-26, funding has been allocated under the name Jinnah Institute of Cardiology,” Punjab Senior Minister Marriyum Aurangzeb said in a post on ‘X’ on Tuesday. “As part of the efforts to provide world-class treatment for cardiac and other diseases, 14 new hospitals will be established in the Nawaz Sharif Medical District. The master plan for this project is near completion,” Ms Aurangzeb said and asked journalists to “verify the facts” before publishing any news. The controversy stemmed from the speech of the chief minister in the Punjab Assembly and a subsequent statement by Punjab Health Minister Khwaja Salman Rafique. The minister... -
Dawn - 06:40 Jul 02, 2025
A satellite backed by billionaire Amazon founder Jeff Bezos has been lost in space while carrying out an important climate change mission, New Zealand officials said on Wednesday. Designed to measure greenhouse gas emissions with “unprecedented resolution”, the MethaneSAT space probe was also funded by Wellington and the US-based Environmental Defence Fund. Plagued with technical problems, the satellite recently stopped responding to its Earth-bound controllers. “Clearly, this is a disappointing development,” said Andrew Johnson, a senior official at the New Zealand Space Agency. “As those who work in the space sector know, space is inherently challenging, and every attempt — successful or not — pushes the boundaries of what we know and what we’re capable of.” The Environmental Defence Fund, which led the project, said it was “difficult news” but would not be the end of its methane-tracking efforts. MethaneSAT was designed to measure emissions of the potent greenhouse gas, which fuels climate change by trappi... -
Dawn - 06:21 Jul 02, 2025
GWADAR: The Ministry of Maritime Affairs has announced an ambitious plan to expand Gwadar Port’s operational capacity by introducing additional shipping lines and launching a ferry service connecting Pakistan with Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries. The announcement was made during a high-level meeting chaired by Federal Minister for Maritime Affairs Muhammad Junaid Anwar Chaudhry on Tuesday. Senior ministry officials also attended the session. To launch ferry service connecting Pakistan with GCC countries “The initiative is part of the government’s strategy to enhance regional connectivity, boost maritime trade and position Gwadar as a major hub in the Arabian Sea,” Mr Chaudhry said. “We aim to transform Gwadar into a strategic transhipment and logistics centre, benefiting Pakistan and the wider region.” He emphasised that with Gwadar Port now fully operational, it is time to accelerate its integration into international maritime networks. He directed relevant departments to pursue all necessary ... -
Dawn - 18:55 Jul 01, 2025
The Republican-led US Senate approved President Donald Trump’s mammoth domestic policy bill on Tuesday by the narrowest of margins, despite misgivings over delivering deep welfare cuts and another $3 trillion in national debt. Republican leaders had struggled to corral support during a record 24-hour “vote-a-rama” amendment session on the Senate floor, as Democrats offered dozens of challenges to the most divisive aspects of the package. But Senate Majority Leader John Thune was able to turn around wavering moderates to deliver a 50-50 vote, with Vice President JD Vance breaking the tie. The sprawling text now heads to the House of Representatives, where it faces unified Democratic opposition and multiple Republicans baulking at the budget-busting costs, as well as slashed health care and food aid programmes for poor Americans. Trump’s bill proposes a $4.5tr extension of his first-term tax cuts, contentiously offset with $1.2tr in savings mainly targeting the Medicaid health insurance programme, as well as fe... -
Dawn - 17:54 Jul 01, 2025
Donald Trump and Elon Musk reignited their bitter feud on Tuesday, with the US president threatening to deport the tech tycoon and strip federal funds from his businesses for criticising Trump’s flagship spending bill. The world’s richest person was Trump’s biggest political donor in the 2024 election, and became his inseparable ally during his first months back in the White House as head of the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE). But the Space X and Tesla boss is now threatening to turn his riches against Trump, mulling a rival political party to challenge Republican lawmakers who vote for the president’s “One Big Beautiful Bill”. Trump, 79, reacted vengefully today as he headed to the opening of a new migrant detention centre in Florida dubbed “Alligator Alcatraz”. “We’ll have to take a look,” he told reporters when asked if he would consider deporting Musk, who has held US citizenship since 2002. View this post on Instagram Trump also signalled that he could take aim at the huge contracts and subsi... -
Dawn - 17:41 Jul 01, 2025
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Tuesday said that the government has decided to enhance the country’s water storage capacity, given India’s designs to weaponise water. India in April held the Indus Waters Treaty (IWT) in abeyance following the attack in occupied Kashmir’s Pahalgam that killed 26 — an incident New Delhi blamed on Islamabad without evidence. The treaty allocates the Indus Basin’s six rivers between the two countries: India gets the eastern rivers (Ravi, Beas, Sutlej), while Pakistan receives nearly 80 per cent of the water from the western rivers (Indus, Jhelum, Chenab). Pakistan termed any attempt to suspend its water share an “act of war”, noting the IWT had no provision for unilateral suspension. It later said it was considering court action, citing a violation of the 1969 Vienna Convention on the Law of Treaties. The Permanent Court of Arbitration (PCA) in Hague also ruled India cannot unilaterally suspend or hold the IWT in abeyance. During a visit to the National Emergencies Operations C... -
Dawn - 17:17 Jul 01, 2025
Thailand’s Constitutional Court on Tuesday suspended Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra from duty pending a case seeking her dismissal, in a major setback for a government under fire on multiple fronts and fighting for its survival. The court accepted a petition from 36 senators accusing Paetongtarn of dishonesty and breaching ethical standards, based on a leak of a sensitive telephone call with Cambodia’s influential former leader Hun Sen that was intended to de-escalate a territorial row and tense troop buildup at their border. The leaked June 15 call triggered domestic fury and has left Paetongtarn’s coalition with a razor-thin majority after a big party abandoned the alliance and accused her of undermining sovereignty, as protest groups threaten more demonstrations to demand a new government. Paetongtarn’s battles after only 10 months in office underline an intractable power struggle between the billionaire Shinawatra dynasty and an influential establishment backed by the army — a two-decade grudge mat...
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